Università degli Studi di Modena e Reggio Emilia Unimore Microbial Culture Collection Facts and Fiction, Science and Technology: the Balsamic Vinegar Case Study

Facts

Vinegar production is regulated by an extensive set of statutes and vinegar definition changes from a country to other

FAO/WHO defines vinegar as any liquid, fit for human consumption, produced exclusively from suitable products containing starch and/or sugars by the process of double fermentation, first alcoholic and then acetous. The residual ethanol content must be less than 0.5% in wine vinegar and less than 1% in other vinegars, respectively. (Joint FAO/WHO Food Standards Programme).

European countries have regional standards for vinegar produced or sold in the area. EU established a threshold both for acidity and ethanol content, respectively a minimum of 5% (w/v) acidity and a maximum of 0.5% (v/v) ethanol. Wine vinegar is obtained exclusively by acetous fermentation of wine and has at least 6% acidity (w/v) and 1.5% (v/v) of ethanol (Regulation (EC) No 1493/1999).

Vinegar made of X Vinegar flavored with X

Fruits Seeds Vegetables Milk and Honey Spirit (Alcohol) Piroligneus

Vinegar Acidity (% w/v) Ethanol (% v/v) Malt vinegar 4.3-5.9 Cider vinegar 3.9-9.0 0.03 Wine vinegar (semicontinuous process) 4.4-7.4 (8-14) 0.05-0.3 Rice vinegar 4.2-4.5 0.68 Chinese rice vinegar* 6.8-10.9 - Cashew vinegar 4.6 0.13 Coconut water vinegar 8.28 0.42 Mango vinegar 4.92 0.35 Sherry vinegar >7.0 Pineapple vinegar 5.34 0.67 Balsamic vinegar of Modena > 6.00 < 1,5

Patulin

Raw Material Grouping Acid and easy fermentable: pH below 3.5 and glucose, fructose and sucrose as main constituent, e.g. berry grape, apple, plums, etc. Moderate acid and easy fermentable: pH in between 3.5 to 4.5, e.g. figs, dates Low acid and easy fermentable: pH higher than 4.5 e.g. palm sap Non-fermentable: hydrolysis is required before fermentation. e.g. seeds and banana

Raw Material Grouping Acid and easy fermentable: pH below 3.5 and glucose, fructose and sucrose as main constituent, e.g. berry grape, apple, plums, etc.

Raw Material Grouping Moderate acid and easy fermentable: pH in between 3.5 to 4.5, e.g. figs, dates

Raw Material Grouping Low acid and easy fermentable: pH higher than 4.5 e.g. palm sap

Raw Material Grouping Non-fermentable: hydrolysis is required before fermentation. e.g. seeds and banana

Western stories and tales about vinegar

Mark Antony was impressed by the opulence of the court of Cleopatra.

Cleopatra (69-30 BC) to show haw much she wasn’t affected by richness, she dissolved a big pearl into vinegar and drunk it.

Hannibal (247 -181 BC), Punic Carthaginian military commander,

Facts on balsamic vinegars

Protected Geographical Status Category Main ingredients Additives Protected Geographical Status Ageing Colorants Aromas Thickeners Emulsifiers Preservati ves Generic balsamic vinegars Wine vinegar sugars yes No Balsamic glazes, dressings, condiments Wine vinegar sugars Balsamic vinegar of Modena Concentrat ed and/or cooked must Caramel (150 d) Carame l (150 d) Sulfites(1) PGI(2) At least 60 DAYS Traditional Balsamic Vinegar(3) Cooked must PDO(2) At least 12 YEARS

As discriminating balsamic

Legend: Z= sugars concentration g/kg, assay by Fehling °Bx = Brixs, soluble solids assay by refractometer Z = numeric difference between Z and °Bx TA = titratable acidity FA = fixed acidity (Titratable acidity – Acetic acid) BV, BC, ABM, TBV = respectively: Balsamic Vinegar, Balsamic Condiment, Modena Balsamic Vinegar; Traditional Balsamic Vinegar.:

The age of Traditional Balsamic Vinegar

Residence time Aging indicators

Aging indicators

I balsamici sono una storia recente?

Ugo Rangone, Giovanna Giacobazzi Dall'Aquila estense al tricolore. Donne, uomini e aceto nel ducato tra il 1796 al 1860 Ugo Rangone, Giovanna Giacobazzi Technograph

Status delle denominazioni geografiche protette (DP) Denominazione di Origine Protetta (DOP) Indicazione Geografica Protetta (IGP) Specialità Tradizionale Garantita (STG).

IT/PDO/0017/1565 Italy Aceto balsamico tradizionale di Modena PDO 20/04/2000 Registered IT/PDO/0017/1566   Aceto balsamico tradizionale di Reggio Emilia IT/PGI/0005/0430 Aceto Balsamico di Modena PGI 04/07/2009 ES/PDO/0005/0723 Spain Vinagre de Jerez 05/10/2011 ES/PDO/0005/0724  Vinagre del Condado de Huelva ES/PDO/0005/0726 Vinagre de Montilla-Moriles 03/11/2012 CN/PGI/0005/0630  China  镇江香醋      Zhenjiang Xiang Cu 22/09/2012 http://ec.europa.eu/agriculture/quality/door/list.html

To make the artificial Balsamic Vinegar in a few years, according to Prof. Barani (19th Century, or at the very beginning of the 20th Century)   Common vinegar, the most acidic quality, 4 steins (0,568 ml?) Evaporated grape must, nearly syrup, 4 steins They must be blended and then added with: Nutmeg: 2 dramas (20 grams) (1 drama = 10 grams) Cloves: 1.5 dramas (15 grams) Cinnamon: 0.5 ounce Coriander: 2 ounces

The improbable age Mussini 100 Year Balsamic Vineagr, Il Grande Vecchio, 2.39 Ounce Glass Bottle http://www.amazon.com/Mussini-Balsamic-Vineagr-Grande-Vecchio/dp/B0030MRJFY 100-year-old "Gran Riserva Oro" Balsamic Vinegar http://www.bienmanger.com/2F2621_100_Years_Old_Balsamic_Vinegar_Gran_Riserva_Oro.html http://www.bienmanger.com/2F2618_Stravecchio_Balsamic_Vinegar_Gran_Riserva_Famiglia_Leonardi.html

The improbable age Mussini 100 Year Balsamic Vineagr, Il Grande Vecchio, 2.39 Ounce Glass Bottle $224.99 Balsamic Vinegar of Modena - 100 years old 68 g . £472.50 992,65 € / 100 g http://www.amazon.com/Mussini-Balsamic-Vineagr-Grande-Vecchio/dp/B0030MRJFY http://www.edelices.co.uk/oils-vinegars/balsamic-vinegars-leonardi/balsamic-vinegar-modena-100-years-old-leonardi.html

Mussini 100 Year Balsamic Vineagr, Il Grande Vecchio, 2 Mussini 100 Year Balsamic Vineagr, Il Grande Vecchio, 2.39 Ounce Glass Bottle http://www.amazon.com/Mussini-Balsamic-Vineagr-Grande-Vecchio/dp/B0030MRJFY 100-year-old "Gran Riserva Oro" Balsamic Vinegar http://www.bienmanger.com/2F2621_100_Years_Old_Balsamic_Vinegar_Gran_Riserva_Oro.html http://www.bienmanger.com/2F2618_Stravecchio_Balsamic_Vinegar_Gran_Riserva_Famiglia_Leonardi.html